As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow, there are several things you can do to help your group survive the holidays. Why? It’s just too easy to finish your current study right before or right after Thanksgiving and say to each other, “See you in January!” It has been my experience that from Thanksgiving through New Year’s are 4 or 5 key weeks in a group life. Navigating these weeks well can really propel your group to start strong in the new year.

4 Keys to Surviving the HolidaysThe answer is not just keep meeting for the sake of meeting. After all, people are busy with travelling, family commitments and office parties. There is just a lot going on. Here are four things you can do to help your group end this year well.

Choose the study you will do next before you break. Try to do at least 1 or 2 sessions by December 8th or so. For example, this year Thanksgiving is on November 24th. Assuming you don’t meet this week of Thanksgiving, you could meet the following week and that would make a big difference.

Plan a Christmas party for your group!Rather than breaking before Thanksgiving, why not have a potluck dinner or a Christmas dessert night? Do an ornament exchange, go look at Christmas lights together, or a White Elephant Gift Exchange. Whatever you do, find a fun reason to meet.

Figure out a way to serve together in December!Whether your group serves at a local homeless shelter, sings Christmas carols at a nearby retirement home, or serves as greeters or ushers for a Christmas Eve service, there is something about stepping up to do something for someone else…that brings a group together.

Pull out your calendars and schedule your first January meeting. ​This might seem like overkill, but if you’ll all agree on the date of your first meeting in January, your group is much more likely to survive!